A United States of America (USA) based group, Justice For All Nations
(JFAN) has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to proof
wrong, the US State Department’s 2013 Annual Report on Nigeria, which
accused the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government of
frustrating anti-corruption efforts in the country by making sure that
anyone standing corruption trials is not cleared to contest the June
21, 2014 Ekiti State governorship election and subsequent elections.
The group said in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Dr. Dada
Popoola, that allowing the likes of former governor, Ayodele Fayose
who is facing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
prosecution for allegedly withdrawing N855 million from the state
government’s account on the pretext of establishing an integrated
poultry farm in the state and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo’s
Personal Assistant, Mr Bodunde Adeyanju, who is standing trial before
an Abuja High Court on the Halliburton scandal to contest the PDP
governorship primary in Ekiti State will show where the party belongs
in terms of anti-corruption.
JFAN said; “allowing the duo of Fayose and Adeyanju to contest the PDP
primary will amount to lending credence to the US State Department
report, which accused the Federal Government of frustrating the EFCC
anti-corruption efforts. That they were even allowed to obtain the
party’s nomination form is an insult on Nigerians.”
The group, which called on President Jonathan to come with clean hands
on corruption in the country, added that; “You cannot claim that you
are fighting corruption while your party keeps promoting people that
are being tried for corruption.”
We are following events on the Ekiti State governorship election
because Fayose and Adeyanju are being prosecuted by the EFCC for
alleged fraud, and the two of them are contesting the PDP governorship
ticket for Ekiti State.
We in JFAN are waiting to see whether or not the party will further
demonstrate to the whole world that it is indeed frustrating
anti-corruption efforts in the country as claimed by the United States
Government.
We also not unmindful of the fact that there could be argument that
Fayose and Adeyanju have not been convicted in a law court, but we are
more concerned about the morality of a man standing trial for fraud
becoming governor, thereby stalling the fraud case because he will
have immunity against criminal trials for four years.
Will the PDP led federal government prove the US State Department
wrong by shutting its doors against those standing corruption trial,
and wait until they are exonerated of their corruption charges before
presenting them as the party candidates? Nigerians and the whole world
is watching.
